Support is requested for the Fourth International Catecholamine Symposium, which is scheduled to be held at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California, September 17-22, 1978. The catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine) which act as transmitters between nerve cells or as modulators of neuronal function have been demonstrated to have a major role in behavioral processes. Strikingly, the current major hypotheses regarding severe psychiatric disorders, including some forms of depression and schizophrenia, center about abnormalities in the function of catecholamines. Knowledge in the field of catecholamines has accumulated at a remarkable rate, and there is a need for a meeting to bring together individuals working in various basic science areas with those involved in clinical science. The full range of mechanisms such as synthesis, storage, release, receptor interactions and metabolic degradation will be considered, as well as the application of these processes to human studies. The conference will be particularly concerned with areas of need for further knowledge and the manner in which current knowledge might be directly related to clinical research, diagnosis and treatment.